Goal (Measure of Success)
The Joint EHS Ethics Advisory Group is recognized as a reliable and collaborative resource that supports ethical awareness and sound professional judgment across the occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS) profession. The group helps promote a consistent understanding of ethical expectations within the field.
Strategic Objectives
- Promote awareness and understanding of the enforceable codes of ethics published by ABIH, ACGIH, AIH, and AIHA’s Member Ethical Principles.
- Support OEHS professionals by discussing ethical challenges and sharing common scenarios that arise in practice.
- Identify ethical topics that affect more than one participating organization and collaborate on educational materials or guidance when needed.
- Strengthen communication and coordination among Workplace EHS Coalition partners on ethics-related matters.
- Encourage the development of educational tools, articles, and other resources that support ethical practice.
- Explore ethical considerations related to emerging technologies, including AI, and provide a collaborative space for partner organizations to share perspectives and approaches.
Structure
The advisory group includes representatives from AIHA, ABIH, ACGIH, and other Workplace EHS Coalition partners.
Participation is open to both AIHA members and nonmembers who have an interest in OEHS ethics and cross-organizational collaboration. To learn more about AIHA membership or ways to get involved, please contact the MVR team at profcomm@aiha.org.
The group meets virtually and may establish project teams when needed to support specific educational efforts or discussion topics.
Roles and Responsibilities
The advisory group serves as an educational resource for the industrial hygiene profession. Its mission is to promote awareness and understanding of the enforceable codes of ethics published by ABIH, ACGIH, AIH, and AIHA’s Member Ethical Principles. The group includes representatives from AIHA, ABIH, ACGIH, and other partners within the Workplace EHS Coalition.
The group does not perform enforcement or resolution functions. Instead, it supports the profession by highlighting ethical dilemmas that industrial hygienists may encounter and offers a neutral space for discussion and guidance.
Members may contribute to the development of articles, presentations, or other resources that support ethical practice.
General Time Commitment
- Virtual meetings held periodically based on group needs.
- Project teams may meet separately if additional work is required.
- Members may review materials or participate in discussions throughout the year.
- Time commitments are flexible and based on availability.
Accountability
- The advisory group is accountable to the participating organizations through their established governance processes.
- AIHA participants agree to follow AIHA Bylaws, the Conflict of Interest policy, and Member Ethical Principles.
Topics
- Ethical practice in OEHS
- Professional judgment
- Shared ethical concerns across organizations
- Educational resources and support for the profession
Requesting a Presentation
If you would like to request a presentation by a member of the Joint Industrial Hygiene Ethics Education Committee, please reach out to infonet@aiha.org. Forty-five minutes to one-hour presentations can be made at local section meetings. Special arrangements can also be made for longer presentations that fulfill the new ABIH continuing education ethics requirement.
Resources
The Board for Global EHS Credentialing® (BGC®) maintains an enforceable Code of Ethics for all BGC-certified professionals, applicants, and examinees. In response, the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) have created a set of Member Ethical Principles that complement the Code of Ethics.
This Principles document is based on the same concepts as the BGC Code of Ethics. These were based on collective input from both AIHA and ACGIH members and were subsequently approved by both the AIHA and ACGIH Boards of Directors. These Principles promote ethical professional practices and strongly encourage members to understand their ethical responsibilities.